In late 2007, with the support of the Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods, a second San Francisco neighborhood refused to allow City Fields (CFF) to convert their grass park into a styrene butadiene (SBR) project -- citing public health and environmental concerns about the SBR synthetic turf. In response-- Mayor Newsom angrily expressed his intolerance of any opposition of the CFF projects to members of his Recreation & Park Commission when he demanded, “Make this happen!”

With the help of Commissioners Jim Lazarus and Larry Martin -- a month later the Recreation & Park Commission, along with CFF, quickly pulled together what was to be called the San Francisco Synthetic Playfields Task Force.

Task Force member at CFF rally

Because of the short notice, only a handful of applicants applied for the six seats open to the public on the Task Force. This shortcoming was compounded by the fact that, any applicant from the general public who had previously spoken up about the health risks of artificial turf with SBR was summarily rejected from the Task Force.Rejected candidates included two with medical backgrounds, an environmental auditor, as well as designated representatives for over five neighborhood associations.

PROSAC member at CFF rally

Instead, Task Force seats were entrusted to CFF volunteers, CFF supporters, and a couple who admitted that they were unclear of what the Task Force was about. PROSAC, a politically appointed CFF supportive organization overseen by the Recreation & Park Commission, usurped an additional seat. When the representative from the Audubon Society tried to appropriately pass his seat to a researcher with experience looking into the hazards of styrene butadiene (SBR), he was pressured not to do so by the General Manager of the Recreation & Park Department and CFF "Team" member.

Mauer was appointed Task Force "expert"

CFF “Team” member Dan Mauer -- who works in the Capital Division of the Recreation & Park Department -- was inserted into the group to be the Task Force's "expert" despite a demonstrable lack of technical or scientific knowledge about styrene butadiene or synthetic turf in general.

Task Force facilitator/CFF supporter

A Task Force facilitator was appointed -- she was also listed on the CFF web site as a supporter of the projects. The gatherings were sporadic, after-work, evening affairs overseen by CFF president Hirsch. Catered dinners were brought in by CFF. The meetings were so poorly attended that they quit recording attendance. One member was scolded for never having said a word. The lone medical doctor didn’t show up for his presentation or any other topic presentation. The critical and scientifically complex report on SBR toxicity was given by a CFF “Team” member Dan Mauer. One of the disillusioned Task-Force members characterized the shallow deliberations as, “a joke.”

OEHHA Prop 65 cancer notice

Perhaps, most disturbing was that a seated representative from the California Office of Health Hazard Assessment never once mentioned his agency's findings that a significant percentage of SBR was listed by his agency as being made up of chemicals that were "known to cause cancer". He also failed to mention that the carcinogenic chemical known as petroleum derived carbon black makes up a high percentage of SBR. Neither fact was ever brought up or reported on by the Task Force or the representative.

Task Force did not conclude SBR was safe

In the end a Task Force Report was written by a CFF supporter with virtually no oversight from the Task Force membership. The web site SynTurf.org described the report as “a masterpiece of obfuscation”. "San Francisco Chronicle" journalist C. W. Nevius inaccurately reported, “The City's 2008 Synthetic Playfields Force concluded it is safe.” In fact, the Task Force and its report could draw no such conclusion. Despite its superficial vetting, CFF now had a report that they would use as a tool -- to repeatedly spin to the public and flaunt as a sign of their goodwill and due diligence. As it turned out, communities and synthetic turf sales teams across the country would use this report to justify other installations -- declaring, "they don't have any problem with it in San Francisco".